"Copyright Kieran Mullen, 1991. Permission is granted to the editors of the Net.Champions Compendium to edit and include this work in the Compendium and distribute it electronically and to users of the Net.Champions Compendium to distribute this electronically and print it for personal use, as long as this copyright notice is included. All other rights reserved."
Description: Snake-human hybrid: From the chest down has long (8m) muscular body of snake, covered with greenish-silver scales. His upper body is pale blue, and his eyes are green with vertical slit pupils. Ears are long, pointed, and canted forward giving a vaguely horned appearance. His hair (on head only) is short and black. He is permanently stuck in this form. He has a sinister appearance that is vaguely devilish. He has a telescoping quarterstaff that he keeps in a bandoleer scabbard.
OCV 8 PD 10 ED 9 Combat levels: +1 with MA
DCV 8 rPD 18* rED 18* Special Defenses: Flash, -1" KB
ECV 5 Total 28 Total 10
*Some of his PD/ED require Activation rolls.
25* Str 10
23 Dex 39
20 Con 20
12* Bod 2
14 Int 4
13 Ego 6
20 Pre 10
10 Com 0
10 PD 6
9 ED 5
5 Spd 17
40 End 0
35 Stun -1
==
117 Total
* Bonuses from Growth added in.
Dex: 14-
Int: 12-
Per: 12-
Ego: 12-
Skills/Talents/Perks:
=====================
Theologian Package:
2 KS: Theology
2 KS: Philosophy
1 Read Latin
2 Read Ancient Greek
-1 Package Bonus
3 Computer Programming
3 Acrobatics
3 Breakfall
3 Combat Sense
-5 Poor
===
18
POWERS:
======
30 Multipower, Cost 30, Snake Body
6m 30 Slither: +10" Running at 0END
1u 15 Swimming: +10", 4x in Non-combat
1u 10 Spring: Superleap +10"
2m 10 Clinging: +30 strength, Only works on objects he can encircle,
(e.g. telephone poles, wires, and trees, but not walls) (-1)
6m 30 5d6 HTH, NND Choking attack, (def: Armor, protected throat)
4m 20 Constriction: +30 STR after having grabbed character (-1/2)
3u 30 Tail Snap: +7d6 total on HTH attacks, double KB on additional
dice only
===
53 Total
10 Stretching, 2" (4" Noncombat)
5 Growth (2x mass, -1" KB)
6 Regeneration, 1 BODY/hour
10 Invisibility, Chameleon power only (-1)
20 +10/+10 Armor (Scales), Activation 14- (Lower body armor)
4 Flash Defense, 6pts, Activation 14- (Inner eyelids)
===
55 Total
Martial Arts:
16 Staff: OAF (+1)
8 +4d6 damage, +1 OCV
8 +8/+8 "Armor", Skill Roll: Dex, 14- (-1/2), must
be aware of attack (-1/2)
2 Weapon Skill (Staff)
5 Offensive Strike (9d6 with body or 13d6 with staff)
3 Martial Grab (vs. 70 STR to escape, 55 STR for damage)
4 Martial Block
4 Martial Dodge
3 Martial Art Skill Level.
===
38 Total
Disadvantages:
==============
15 Hunted: Fundamentalist Groups (As Pow, 11-)
15 Mystery Hunted
20 Unusual looks: Snake body, Devilish face, (NtConc, Strong)
20 DNPC: Fr. Bernard, (Incomp, 11-)
10 Phys. Lim.: No legs, feet (Constant, Slightly imp)
20 Psych Lim.: Code against Killing (Strong)
15 Psych Lim.: Honorable
5 Psych Lim.: Doesn't know origin, very curious (1/2)
10 Enraged: Evil Magic, and Mind Controls (11-/11-)
5 Enraged: KA's used on innocents
10 Vulnerability: 1.5*Stun from Sonic Attacks
10 Vulnerability: 1.5*Stun from Cold Attacks
10 Hidden (Has no "normal" ID, but keeps hidden)
10 Attracts Kinky Women, and Religious kooks
---
175 Total
Explanation of Powers:
======================
Multipower: His snake body is long enough for him to many things. He
can constrict his opponent with a grasp much tighter than his
simple physical strength would allow. He can slither rapidly,
or coil his body and leap. Serpentyne can do several of these
at once, i.e. hold someone while slithering. He can also snap his
tail in a devastating physical blow, but of course cannot run
or constrict while doing so. He can climb objects which he can
encircle with his body, but he does not have true clinging in
that he cannot adhere to a flat surface. If he can encircle an
enemies neck, he can choke them into unconsciousness.
Invisibility: By concentrating he can change his coloring to match (broadly) his background. He can not truly turn invisible. For example, he could never walk past a guard in a hallway and escape detection, but he is hard to spot in a forest. He cannot "disappear" in combat circumstances, and so gets no combat bonuses. However, if the observer is distracted, and there is some distance between them, Serpentyne may be able to camoflage himself well enough to be hard to detect.
Growth and Stretching: Serpentyne's upper body has the proportions of a large, muscular male, and when balancing upright his height is about 6'6". However, his snake body is fairly long, and to reflect that he is given the growth and stretching.
Defensive Maneuver, Acrobatics, etc.: The reptile hind brain has been sufficiently enhanced to give him extremely rapid reactions.
Background History: ===================Mark Cross had always been a good student, excelling in humanities and sciences. He considered getting a doctorate in Philosophy, but decided that Computer Science was much more practical. His was quite happy in his studies, and made money on the side writing software. He was ecstatic to get engaged to a beautiful fellow graduate student who studied microbiology, Wilma Danvers.
He left his fiancee one morning greatly excited about a secret new project in which he had gotten involved. It would solve all their money problems, he said. Mark is not sure what happened next. He awoke in a burning warehouse in his present state. In fact, he lost a week of his memory; his fiancee (now ex-fiancee) could only tell him that a Dr. Jacobian was involved. Wilma could not deal with the sudden transformation of her boyfriend to some demonic monster.
She was not the only one to consider him demonic. His vaguely devilish looks sent the local fundamendalist groups into conniptions. He has been branded a fallen angel, an evil serpentine devil sent to tempt and destroy humanity. This is exceptionally painful for Mark, who is extremely religious. He stopped several street crimes, and was given the name "Serpentyne" by the newspapers. Or course, the criminals tell a different story, that of an evil monster who attacks and torments them, which some fundies are too eager to believe...
Cross lost his job, his girlfriend, and most of his friends. He was about to commit suicide one night, but was stopped by a kindly old priest who was the monsignor of a local cathedral. After much discussion it was decided that they could help each other, and struck a deal. Cross lives in the tower of the cathedral, protecting the church from vandals. He also has moved his few belongings there, and handles the church bookkeeping and records, as well as helping Fr. Bernard write his 10 volume opus on the Middle Ages.
Cross is plagued by his ignorance of his origin. Did he make some unholy bargain? Or did he volunteer to develop computer controls for some experiment that went awry? Or was it just a random accident that chose him? He has a hatred of evil magic, and mental controls, not only for very strong religious reasons, but also because either one might have been the cause of his transformation.
Tactics: ========Due to the snakey nature of his body, Serpentine is particularly good at grabbing, squeezing, and choking. He will favor these attacks against enemies who do not have a damage shield. He uses his quarterstaff to parry attacks, and to hit those things too dangerous to bash with his body. His tail snap costs are effective, and he will use it on superior foes, then dive for for cover, try to hide, and ambush his foe later. His constriction attack is very powerful, but it lowers his DCV, so he can be easily hit by villains attempting to free their comrade. He is very effective in a one-on-one encounter, due to his constriction and grab attacks.
He prefers a carefully planned attack, with lots of recon and cooperation. He has a fair bit of free time, which he uses to fight street crime, learn about the city, and practice acrobatics on rooftops.
Serpentine uses his devilish reputation to scare villains, but he does not like to kill, and despises those who use killing attacks. He will tend to be either the team leader, or the team conscience. He tends to be a bit taciturn, and almost never plays pranks. This superheroing is serious business! He is very loyal to friends and team members, even if they do something stupid and get into trouble. He has a strong sense of morality.
Identifying Quotes: "Did you think you could lead a life of crime and not end up facing someone like me?" (menacing grin).
(leaning against cathedral gargoyle) "Ah that my heart were made of stone like these...". (Deep sigh.)
Sample Encounter: =================Serpentyne waited motionlessly in the rafters of the warehouse, his skin a dusky black (Chameleon Invisibility), blending in with the shadows. Immediately below, illuminated by a ceiling lamp, huddled the Viper agents as they made plans. "Six," he mused to himself, "plus someone special who should soon arrive." The agents split up, evidently combing the warehouse for something in particular.
One agent remained below. He removed his helmet to mop his sweaty brow. "Have to do this just right," thought Serpentyne as he held onto the ceiling beam with his hands and dangled his tail below. He snagged the agent by the neck, and soundlessly choked him into unconsciousness (Choke hold, 5d6 NND). He lifted the limp body and deposited it out of the way. "Soon," he smiled as he thought to himself, "they'll get nervous."
Soon the Viper agents were whispering back and forth over their radios. They reconvened below, looking for their comrade.
"Dolts! Idiots!" boomed a mechanically amplified voice. "Where is the Zeta transformer? Why haven't you started searching?". Serpentyne sighed. That was the voice of Robox, a renegade mandroid. It was exactly what he had feared. As Robox stomped toward the cowering Viper agents, Serpentyne resumed his normal coloring.
It's showtime, he thought.
As soon as Robox came into view, Serpentyne leaped with outstretched arms, snagging the support beam over the mandroid's head. He allowed his tail to take up the momentum, and swung it down in a satisfying THWACK, that knocked Robox into a pile of crates (Tail Snap, 5d6 + 7d6 2x KB). His forward momentum neutralized, Serpentyne dropped to the ground. He chose to land with his back almost to the Viper agents.
"Your master and I have things to discuss," he said, looking back over one shoulder. "I would suggest you leave lest you provoke my... interest." He glowered his most menacing, satanic look. (Presence Attack, 4d6, +1d6 for violent action, +1d6 surprise, +1d6 good soliloquoy, +1d6 appropriate setting= 8d6).
Damn, he thought. I should have picked up that set of plastic fangs at Woolworths. Then again, I want them to flee, not wet their pants. The Viper agents proved to be sufficiently in control to hotfoot it out of the warehouse. As the agents fled he turned his attention back to the gleaming metal figure extricating itself from the wreckage, and drew his battlestaff from its scabbard...
Possible Extensions: ====================It is possible to cast Serpentyne in the role of a villain. If so, he can either be played as the psychotic vigilante or a martial artist who is part of a larger team. If he is a villain, he could have a more snake-like multiform which he takes on in moments of great stress. This multiform should have very few skills, but have a lot of STR, a NND attack of snake poison, and tremendous speed. The GM should decide the true origin of his snake powers.
As a hero he can play the role of a rival or competing superhero who upstages the PC's or complicates their lives. His sinister appearance should give the PC's some doubt of his integrity. He can act as a hunter on the psycho killer PC's, though his armor should then be hardeded.
If it is necessary to make him a more powerful character it is suggested that he be given the abilities in the following order: Combat Skill Levels, Find Weakness, and Fast Draw. His staff can be given a variety of powers, all with the OAF limitation. Suggested powers include: Flash, Armor Piercing, Ranged Attack (as javelin), and Missle Reflection.